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Happy Saturday. Are we ready?

26 JULY 2014Today is arguably the most intense day of the Con, content-wise - yet it seems that much of the action is already a foregone conclusion, given how many of you are waking up groggy and chilled outside.

Last night was the most ridiculous Hall H/Ballroom 20 situation I've seen probably in all my years, excepting Twilight. The rest of you who want to get into the big rooms? I wouldn't be entirely sure you're shut out, since I think some of these people will fold and leave by mid-afternoon. Also, Ballroom 20 seems to have a large contingent of people who are there only for Once Upon A Time and "Fan Favorites," which should help the situation for True Blood.

For those of us who slept in a warm bed last night:Today has a ton of panels for digital and visual artists. "Establishing Shot" is at 10, "Digital Character Sketching & Painting" is at 11, with "Advanced 3D/CG Comic Art" at 12:15, "Draw Your Imagination" at 1:45, all in Room 2."Adobe
Photoshop: Enabling the Artist in the 3D Print Revolution" is at 3:00 in 30CDE.

Writers get some love too: "Writers Unite: Writing and Pitching Comic Stories" is at 10:00 in 25AB and "Publishing
360°: Building a Bestseller" promises to explain "navigating the path from story idea to
bestseller." I bet a zillion people go to this. It's at 6:00 in 25ABC. "Internet
Marketing Secrets for Authors" is at 8 in 30CDE.

I will be worshiping at the "Temple of Art" with Dave McKean, Grant Morrison, etc. They're showing a video presentation of original
works and preview of the documentary, and handing out
giveaways and t-shirts. 11:00 in 25ABC.

Top Cow: 2015
Brings a New Talent Hunt, New Projects, and More" says all attendees will
receive a special limited-edition lithograph. 11:00 in Room 9.

"DC
Comics-Superman: The Man of Tomorrow" is at 11:15 in 6DE, followed by "The Weeklies" at 12:45.

"We Are BOOM!" 12:30 in 24ABC. People seem excited for this one. Ditto for Saga at 1:00 in 7AB with Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.

"The Oni Press
Comicstravaganza: All Cats Go to Purgatory!" is at 2:00 in room 9."IDW: Joe Hill
& Gabriel Rodriguez" is at 2:30pm in 24ABC. Then we have "IDW Pop Culture Mix-Tape" at 4:00 in room 4.

"Fantagraphics
Forward" is at 3:30 in 26AB. Then "IImage Comics:
I Is for...Ideas" has people like Scott Snyder and Brian K. Vaughan explaining how to get into comics. 4:30 in 6DE.

Finally, we have "Gays in
Comics XXVII: It's a Queer, Queer World!" 5:30- 7:00, followed by a mixer and auction in 6A. I would describe this as LGBTQ - not just Gold Star gay - so come on down.

On the author front, readers will like:

"Fantastic
Females: Heroines in Paranormal Fantasy" at 10:30 in Room 8 and "The Art of
Fear" with horror authors in 2:30 in Room 8.

Then we have "Rulers of the
Realm" with Joe Abercrombie, Diana Gabaldon, Lev Grossman, George R. R.
Martin, and Patrick Rothfuss. 4:15 in 6A. You know to line up early for this, right?

"Fight Club: From Page to Screen and Beyond" has
Chuck Palahniuk, David Fincher. 7:00 in 25ABC.

At the same time: "Onwards, Voyager! Epic Reads Await You!" will share previews of new and upcoming YA fiction from Harper Voyager. 7:00 in Room 9.

On the Hollywood front, there's Robert
Kirkman and Norman Reedus at 3:00 in 6A.

Futurists will want to go to "Pop Culture
and the Robot Reality" at 11:00 in 7AB.
Then it's time to discuss "Sci-Fi, Robots and AI" at noon in the same room. It kills me to miss this.

There's a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-Booyakasha!" at 11:15 in 6A and a "Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles 30th Anniversary" at 2:00 in 23ABC.

"The
Whedonverse" lives on at 1:30 in 24ABC. That should make people happy.

If you can get tickets, the "Nerdist
Podcast Network Super Panel." is at 1:45pm in the Horton Grand
Theatre.

"The Blacklist" is at 1:45 in 6A.

Syfy's new baby "Ascension" with Tricia Helfer will be at 3:15 in 6DE. That's followed by "Salem" at 5:45 and "American Horror Story" at 7. This is AHS's first SDCC appearance, and I expect the line to be intense. Get there early.

Constantine is at 5:15 in 6BCF, followed by Person of Interest at 6:15. That should draw a lot of people.

So that's Saturday. Given the number of events tonight, I'm guessing many of us will be disco-napping in the late afternoon, while others will be in their best rotting zombie form for Zombie:Walk and A Night on Zombie Island. Plus it's the Masquerade so we'll see some good cosplay today.

And because a lot of locals will be swarming the area to take in the nerdy sights (half the people I met last night at Con parties had nothing to do with SDCC), expect things to get crowded in the Gaslamp. In fact, I'm going to remind everyone about eating at the Headquarters on the other side of the Hyatt. I've eaten there several times and it's not crowded at all. Seasons 52, Pizzeria Mozza and the Mexican place were practically empty. So if you want to avoid the swarm today, just walk down past the Marriott and Hyatt and you should be able to get a good meal fast.

Also, I'm answering email as fast as I can. My phone is wonky in the convention center so be patient if I don't get back to you right away - I'm not ignoring you. I'll answer you as soon as I can.